Silence (Silence #1)(24)

“You need to run,” he warned, slowly putting his ice cream down on the dashboard. I sprinted off, not in any particular direction, just away from him. His footsteps and heavy breathing became louder. My heart danced knowing he had almost caught me and adrenaline pumped through my body. Faster! Pushing my legs harder, I managed to increase my speed. It wasn’t enough though. Cole’s arm wound around my waist, and we both stumbled and fell to the floor.

“Too slow!” he exclaimed, rolling me over and pinning me to the ground. I couldn’t move at all. I wanted to struggle, but at the same time, I didn’t. He didn’t seem to notice my internal freak out, and I was grateful for that.

“What you gonna do now, huh?” Gulping, I tried to work that out for myself. I didn’t like being held down, but I didn’t completely hate it with Cole. It was different with him – playful. But it still felt too close to something else, something that wasn’t playful. Not playful at all.

“You okay?” He let go of my wrists and sat up. Relief flooded my system as I was freed. I’m not ready for that yet.

Sitting up next to him, I smiled reassuringly. Technically he hadn’t done anything wrong. He didn’t know why I hated being held down. I couldn’t be mad at him. He smiled and slowly lowered his head towards mine. His eyes danced with excitement as his lips pressed so gently against mine.

I pulled away when I couldn’t take all of the conflicting feelings and crazy hormones anymore. Kissing him felt good, way too good. But as usual the time had got away from us, and we had to get back. The end of the night always left me feeling a little down, but I would see him again in the morning.

Dad was sitting in the lounge watching television when I walked in, waiting up for me again no doubt. I always wondered if he waited up because he was worried about me, or worried that I would have said something to someone, after all this time.

“Did you have a good time?” he asked, switching the TV off with the remote. I nodded and yawned, the day’s activities catching up with me.

“Good. Come one, bedtime.”

He didn’t look me in the eye once. Something was wrong. I felt uneasy, even more than usual when I was alone with him. I followed Dad upstairs and he kissed my forehead before going into his bedroom. Something’s definitely wrong.

Cole’s text arrived just as I got into bed, momentarily taking my mind off Dad.





Chapter Seven


Oakley




In the morning, I woke up feeling happier than I had in a very long time. Things were looking up and I was, for the first time, feeling hopeful for the future. My date with Cole yesterday had put me in a good mood, and we had another date tonight! I felt like nothing could pop my happy little bubble.

As I skipped downstairs, my parents muffled voices became louder until I could hear them clearly. “I don’t get why you’re against this, Max! This might be the thing that works. She might be able to get through to our daughter!” Mum snapped. I held my breath and pressed my back against the wall to try to disappear.

“She won’t go to the doctor though!” Dad replied slowly. “You can’t force her. You saw what that did last time.” Sliding down the wall, I wrapped my arms around my legs. Last time Mum tried taking me to the doctors, I was so scared. Dad was standing behind her, calmly giving me that look; the look that I didn’t ever dare disobey. I completely broke down and couldn’t breathe. I could still remember how tight my chest felt, and those little black spots that blurred my vision right before I passed out.

Mum sighed heavily. “I won’t let her get like that again. Are you coming with me or not?” Please say no, please say no.

“I won’t do that to her. I’m not tricking my daughter into this. You remember what the child psychologist said. We shouldn’t push her, and she will ask for help whenever she is ready for it. When Oakley is ready, Sarah, not you.”

“Do you even want her to get better?” Mum snapped angrily. Her voice was sharp and high-pitched. I flinched at how harsh she sounded.

“How can you even ask me that? Of course I do, but I will not force her into this. Whatever is going on with her, it will be all right. We’ll deal with it, whatever happens. If that’s her wanting help to speak again or not. She’s our daughter, and if she’s happy then that’s all that matters to me,” he reasoned. I actually believed what he was saying, he was that good at lying. Dad was smooth; well-liked and respected by everyone that knew him. No one would believe you over him.

“I’m sorry.” I heard Mum sigh and everything went quiet. “I just want to find out what’s wrong. It just gets harder the older she gets.”

Her voice was muffled as if she was speaking against something. Dad’s shoulder maybe. “I’m still going to take her... Don’t, Max, if she starts panicking like before we’ll turn around and come straight home. I can’t just sit back and do nothing.”

I wished she would. Every time she tried to help me it would just end up with her crying and me feeling like crap. Taking a deep breath, I pushed myself up off the floor. Sitting there listening to their argument about me was getting too much. I swallowed the lump in my throat and ran my fingers through my hair. As I walked into the kitchen, they both turned and smiled at me.

Mum tried to discreetly wipe the tears from her cheek.